Craig Skinner and the Lady Cats want all the smoke
Prepare for one of the toughest non-conference slates in college volleyball—Kentucky is going full throttle. In a move that is rarely seen in any sport, Kentucky has scheduled some massive matchups before the SEC even starts. This isn't new either, head coach Craig Skinner always schedules tough teams to challenge his own.
The Wildcats launch their season August 31 in Nashville against Lipscomb. But the real fireworks begin Sunday at noon on ABC, when Kentucky faces Nebraska in the Broadway Block Party at Bridgestone Arena. That’s a Final Four showdown in primetime—even before conference kicks off. Nebraska is a perennial power and is always a tough out.
Then on September 5–6, UK heads to State College to face Penn State, the 2024 national champions, plus New Hampshire the next day. Playing PSU on the road is a seismic early test. U
Next—September 10—the Shriners Children’s Showdown in Ft. Worth brings in Pitt, another 2024 Final Four program, with the match on ESPN at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Their first home action comes September 13–14, when UK hosts SMU and Houston—two more teams nationally seeded in 2024.
Then the schedule goes full circle—September 18, UK travels to Louisville, facing yet another 2024 Final Four alum, before finishing September 20 at home against Washington.
That means Kentucky will play all four 2024 Final Four teams: Nebraska, Penn State, Pitt, and Louisville. That level of competition is virtually unheard of before conference play begins. It’s bold scheduling. It’s opportunity. And it’s an acid test long before the SEC race begins.
Expect fans, media, and coaches to be locked in. This slate gives a glimpse of Kentucky’s identity this year: physical, fearless, and hungry.